F1 Canadian GP Live Commentary and Updates – Race
Minute-by-minute updates for the 2024 Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix.
George Russell grabbed pole position for the Canadian GP having set an identical lap time to Max Verstappen in Q3, and duly gained top spot having set the lap time first.
Lando Norris heads an all-McLaren second row from Oscar Piastri, with Daniel Ricciardo impressing with fifth for RB – fresh from criticism by 1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve.
With Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso sixth and Merecedes’ Lewis Hamilton seventh, both Ferrari drivers will fight from outside of the top 10 after being dumped out in Q2, while Red Bull’s Sergio Perez starts from 16th following his Q1 exit.
Live Text
Russell was ahead into the first part of the chicane before the contact, but Piastri made the chicane, unlike the Mercedes driver.
Ultimately, Hamilton is now ahead of Russell in fourth.
Ocon is now holding up Tsunoda, Ricciardo, Gasly and Hulkenberg in what is a ferocious train of cars.
The RBs have been told they are free to fight each other.
The incident involving Piastri and Russell is under investigation.
And Hamilton is now up into the top three places, passing Piastri where Russell previously failed. He set a new fastest lap of the race on that tour - a 1m15.074s.
Russell now finds his way past Piastri, relegating the McLaren driver to fifth.
Tsunoda brings the yellows out at Turn 9 and drops out of the points, but continues.
He did what Magnussen did but went spinning and somehow didn't collect the other Haas.
Ricciardo is now ahead of Ocon for eighth, with Gasly promoted to 10th.
"Somebody is going to get a puncture from all this debris" reports Norris.
Russell passes Hamilton in the final chicane as Mercedes allows its two drivers to battle.
Gasly is now ahead of team-mate Ocon, who will have to switch attention to Hulkenberg behind.
Onto the final lap we go.
Verstappen leads by over three seconds with only the back straight to go.
It's 50 wins in his last 75 grand prix starts for Max Verstappen, but this was far from his standard dominance!
Three in a row for Verstappen in Montreal as Norris and Russell complete the podium. Hamilton snatches the fastest lap on the final tour with a 1m14.856s.
A huge scrap to the line between Gasly, Ocon, Hulkenberg and Magnussen for the minor placings but it's the Alpine duo that take ninth and 10th.
"What a race guys. Not easy, but we did it," says Verstappen.
"Ugly race on my behalf and I'm sorry for that," concedes Russell.
A solid result for Stroll, who finished in seventh, directly behind his Aston Martin team-mate Alonso.
Verstappen is often understated in his celebrations these days, but his leap into the Red Bull mechanics shows how under pressure the team has found itself of late.
Equally, Norris' muted podium celebrations only highlight the raised expectations of McLaren these days. Not long ago, the team would have celebrated this result wildly.
A frank assessment from Verstappen there, conceding that Red Bull still has "a lot of work to do".
Looking to the other side of the garage and in Perez's direction, it's not unfair to suggest that if Verstappen has work to do, Checo has a mountain.
The smile is back on Norris' face as he reflects on the safety car that cost him. As he says, it benefitted him in Miami so it's one-all between him, Verstappen and the course vehicle.
Russell is determined to take the positives from that one but, as he said, it was one that got away today.
"A Sunday to forget for Checo". Verstappen winning only rubs more salt in that wound.
A hat-trick of wins in Montreal for Max! 💪 A Sunday to forget for Checo after retiring due to damage sustained in a crash on Lap 53.
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) June 9, 2024
Result 🏁 Max P1! 🏆, NOR, RUS, HAM, PIA, ALO, STR, RIC, GAS, OCO. Checo DNF 😣 pic.twitter.com/sT4YWoQX1y
For those interested, IndyCar is currently racing at Road America and the championship has picked up where it left off in Detroit, with three caution periods in the opening seven laps! Madness!
But now it is time to end our coverage of the Canadian Grand Prix.
Verstappen has extended his lead at the top of the standings but it was far from simple. Do we have a championship battle? Until next time, goodbye!
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
By: Autosport Staff
